Peru: Avocados, fresh grapes and blueberries for Australia thanks to the FTA

According to the Foreign Trade Center (CCEX) of the Lima Chamber of Commerce, the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Peru and Australia could open Australia's doors to eight Peruvian products with great export potential once it becomes effective. These products mainly belong to the agricultural, fishing and clothing sectors.

"We are talking about coffee, avocados, fresh grapes, blueberries, hake fillets, lumber, cotton and marble jerseys, which together offer a potential trade of US $ 830 million," said Carlos García, manager of CCEX-CCL.

Avocado

Australia is a potential US $ 72 million market for avocados that is currently only being exploited by New Zealand. In addition, Australian per capita consumption of avocados is 3.4 kilograms and it is the market that pays the most for avocado in the world.

"This fruit is very positioned in the Australian diet. So much so that it is consumed at breakfast and even for dessert, because they value the health benefits of this fruit," he said.

Therefore, the increase in the demand of the Australian market is constant, although there is local production of avocado, it is not possible to cover the domestic demand in some seasons of the year.

Fresh grapes and blueberries

The potential demand for fresh table grapes and blueberries is US $ 48 million and US $ 22 million respectively, taking into consideration that Australia also produces and exports these fruits.

These products could enter Australia in the seasons when they are not produced in that country to cover their domestic demand, as the consumption of these fruits is high and constant.

Regarding table grapes, Garcia Jeri recommended that Peru work on extending its offer to other varieties, such as the crimson grape that has a very interesting acceptance in the Australian market and in the Asian countries.

There can be tangible commercial opportunities for Peruvian fruits in this market, none of which will be attainable if Peru doesn't work on its phytosanitary protocols in a timely manner, Garcia stated.

"It's like other agreements that Peru has. We have commercial agreements that are signed and in force, but we can not take advantage of them in the absence of these essential protocols," he said.